𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟑:𝟓
𝟓 𝐇𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐎 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐰, 𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡?
Amongst the 'churches of Galatia' (1:2) there were those who 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 (Strongs 'fully supplied', 'contributed') 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵.
I like the thought of that already - ministering, fully supplying, contributing, the Spirit!
𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟐:𝟒
𝟒 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫:
There was a demonstration! Paul's preaching was accompanied by the 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 of the Spirit and of power.
"𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳," he said (I Corinthians 14:20).
𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟏𝟐:𝟕
𝟕 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐥.
The Spirit was 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 (Strongs 'exhibited', 'expressed') among them.
And it wasn't only for apostles - notice it says the manifestation of the Spirit was given to every man.
It was given to every man to manifest (exhibit, express), demonstrate, and minister (fully supply, contribute) the Spirit in some way, for everyone to profit.
The Spirit grants the manifestation of Himself "as He wills", Paul said. That means the Spirit has a will. There are things the Spirit wants to give and do, in our gatherings. Have you ever sensed that the Spirit was wanting to do something in a meeting?
Paul went on to mention nine manifestations of the Spirit which the Spirit Himself is willing to give to be expressed in the church for everyone's good:
𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟏𝟐:𝟖-𝟏𝟎
𝟖 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐃𝐎𝐌 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭;
𝟗 𝐓𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭; 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭;
𝟏𝟎 𝐓𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐋𝐄𝐒; 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐂𝐘; 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐒; 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒; 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒:
Writing to the ‘church of God at Corinth’, Paul said they could 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴 for their gatherings (I Corinthians 12:31); they could 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴 to be in manifestation (14:1); they could be 𝘻𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴 (verse 12); they could even 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵 in particular (verse 13); and he said to 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 the expression of a particular gift during their meetings (verse 39). He commended the church in that city, saying "...𝘺𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵..." (1:7).
I like being in meetings too of which it can be said that there is no coming behind - no lack - in the move of the Holy Spirit. That’s the kind of churches we want everywhere!
I've learned this, by experience, and by the Word: we can ask God specifically for whatever we desire to see happen in a meeting - and He'll do it.
But He also waits for us to receive it and activate it. Very often I've found this: that the key to seeing the Holy Spirit move in a meeting is to make room for it deliberately.
Just like we are deliberate about allocating time for singing, and for preaching - we can also be deliberate about giving time for the manifestation of the Spirit, in our meetings. On purpose.
Speaking of the outpouring of the Spirit in the upper room, Peter said: "𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵, 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘚𝘌𝘌 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘌𝘈𝘙" (Acts 2:33).
See and hear. The outpouring of the Spirit upon a meeting, and its expression, resulted in something both seen and heard.
In order for the manifestation of the Spirit to be the focal sight and sound in a meeting, we may have to stop other sights and sounds from dominating during that part of the meeting.
Like, music. While ever music is being played from a stage or through the speakers, it competes for the congregation's focus, and often dominates. Music is good to help get us there - but once we're there, go all in with what God's doing. Then afterwards, once the Spirit has had His way upon and in and through everyone, the people will really have something to sing about! That's the time to strike the music up again.
Another thing that can get in the way, I've observed, is prayer. Prayer, like music, can help get us there - but if the Holy Spirit is already willing to do something, don't pray about it - don't even sing about it - just let Him do it! Unless of course praying is the thing He's leading the congregation to do at that moment. But often there are other things He wants to do, things we mightn't even have imagined.
Another thing that can get in the way of the move and manifestation of the Spirit, with some people, is the spiritual gift they're already familiar with. For example, someone may be used to prophesying - but if God wants to just fill a congregation with joy instead, then his or her insistence on prophesying would get in the way.
We might need to resist the urge to always be giving too much unnecessary leadership, too much other input, in the meeting, for the moment - and instead let the waves roll.
On the day of Pentecost they were all with one accord in one place, it says, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
He didn't only fill the people - but the whole house, the place, was also filled. There was an overflowing. It resulted in something seen and heard.
"Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together," it says.
When what was noised abroad - the sound of a band? No, the day of Pentecost - the upper room - was not a music event. The sound of praying? No, they'd been praying for ten days - but not now. It was the sight and sound of 120 people getting filled with the Spirit and speaking with tongues all at once! The move of God on a congregation! That's what the multitide saw and heard. That’s what got their attention.
Only after that had taken its course, did someone (Peter) stand up and hold the floor, and preach. When he did, it was necessary and good and very effective! And Paul did later write to churches telling them to spend time singing together. There's a time for everything. But when the Holy Spirit wanted to do something else, they let Him have His way first. They let the congregation get taken up in that first.
I’m not talking about sitting in silence—I’m talking about allowing the move and expression of the Spirit to gain momentum visibly and audibly, congregation wide, and to be the thing. I’m talking about a visitation.
“Let go—and let God!”
When we really give the Holy Spirit the room - let Him hold the floor - it's next level.
HAPPY SUNDAY!
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